Ford Charge Station Pro - Newb Question

[chl]

Just remember, if you are running the wire a long distance, you may want to use heavier wire, that is, over 100 feet. The issue is the voltage drop due to the wire resistance.

NEC recommends (not requires) no more than a 5% total voltage drop across feeders and branch circuits for optimal equipment performance.

"...If the NEC doesn't require you to size for voltage drop, why even think about it? Consider these reasons:

• System efficiency — If a circuit supports much of a load, a larger conductor will pay for itself many times over in energy savings alone.
• System performance — Lighting loads perform best when voltage drop is minimal. You get the light of a higher-wattage system simply by running larger wires.
• Troubleshooting — If you follow the NEC voltage drop recommendations, you don't have to guess whether your field measurements indicate a problem or if the voltage is low due to not accommodating voltage drop in the design.
• Load protection — Undervoltage for inductive loads can cause overheating, inefficiency, and a shorter life span of the equipment. When conductor resistance causes the voltage to drop below an acceptable point, increase the conductor size...."

Think about it this way: the larger the voltage drop, the lower the charge rate into your truck from the maximum the EVSE can provide.

Instead of delivering 240V to your load (the EVSE), because of the resistance of the wire between the panel and the load, you will deliver 240V-voltage drop due to the wire assuming the 5% drop.

So a 5% voltage drop means 240v x 95% = 228V provided to the FCSP.

Ignoring the power losses in the charging equipment, that mean instead of 240V x 80A = 19.2kW
you will only deliver 228V x 80A = 18.24kW to the Lightning with a 5% voltage drop.

It will take a bit longer to charge the battery. Maybe that's not a big deal depending on your situation and not worth the additional cost of larger wire.

But you may run into local codes that make the wire size recommendation of the NEC a mandate. Best to look into that before installation. A professional electrician would if they do it right.

Besides distance, there are other factors that determine what wire size to use, both for optimum efficiency and safety, such as how many conductors in the conduit, the maximum ambient temperature, the material (copper or aluminum).

Consult a professional.

Sponsored

 

[chl]

I bought a new in the box unopened FCSP on eBay for $600.

It gives me the option of 80A charging and powering the house via an inverter system from the truck in the future. Can't do that with the Tesla L2 charger at present.

Most of the 80A EVSE's I looked at were well over $1,000 so to me it was a bargain.
Cheaper even than the Ford Connect Charge Station ($799).

My SR battery lightning is limited to 11.3kW charge rate but my existing L2 EVSE that I bought in 2011 for my 2012 Nissan Leaf (GE WattStation) is limited to a 7.2kW charge rate. It cost me $900 in 2011 - omg! The free Ford Mobile Power Cord that came with my Lightning provides approximately the same power as my old L2 EVSE.

I plan on wiring the FCSP on a 100A breaker etc. according to the spec.

The SR battery Lightning will tell the FCSP how much power (11.3kW) it can handle through the J1772 communication. In the future, if I buy an ER Lightning or another vehicle capable of 19.2kW charging, I will be able to accommodate it.

So to me, it was a no-brainer to buy a FCSP on eBay, but your situation may vary.

 

[RickLightning]

I bought a new in the box unopened FCSP on eBay for $600.

It gives me the option of 80A charging and powering the house via an inverter system from the truck in the future. Can't do that with the Tesla L2 charger at present.

Most of the 80A EVSE's I looked at were well over $1,000 so to me it was a bargain.
Cheaper even than the Ford Connect Charge Station ($799).

My SR battery lightning is limited to 11.3kW charge rate but my existing L2 EVSE that I bought in 2011 for my 2012 Nissan Leaf (GE WattStation) is limited to a 7.2kW charge rate. It cost me $900 in 2011 - omg! The free Ford Mobile Power Cord that came with my Lightning provides approximately the same power as my old L2 EVSE.

I plan on wiring the FCSP on a 100A breaker etc. according to the spec.

The SR battery Lightning will tell the FCSP how much power (11.3kW) it can handle through the J1772 communication. In the future, if I buy an ER Lightning or another vehicle capable of 19.2kW charging, I will be able to accommodate it.

So to me, it was a no-brainer to buy a FCSP on eBay, but your situation may vary.

Whoever sold that for $600, less fees, was pretty desperate. I got $1,000. You got a good deal.

 

[chl]

Whoever sold that for $600, less fees, was pretty desperate. I got $1,000. You got a good deal.

Well, maybe, but the going price on eBay (the buy it now price) was $600-$700 when I looked in early January - some people were asking more, closer to $1000 or even full retail price.

I did pay for sales tax and shipping but it came quickly in about 4 days.
It was $599 plus tax of $35.94 and shipping of $17.13 so $652.07 total.

They probably got it for free with their Ford purchase and didn't need it.
I didn't ask why they were selling and they didn't say, the price was right for me.

Like everything it's supply and demand - probably not a lot of demand for the FCSP, and probably a lot of Lightning buyers already had a Tesla or other L2 charger and/or didn't want the expense of a 100A circuit install.

Maybe they just wanted the high-end Lightning and the FCSP came "free" with it (well, no additional charge anyway)?

eBay has really improved over the years - I search Amazon then check eBay to see if something is there for less. Got a new unopened portable blue tooth Sirius/XM tuner for about 1/2 the Amazon price. My Lightning Pro didn't come with S/XM but the radio accepts a blue tooth audio source, so I can use my old iPod and the blue tooth S/XM tuner as well. My wife always has the iPhone, but the radio has Apple Play and Google Play as well.

I drove around with the iPod plugged into the USB outlet and connected to the radio with blue tooth and noticed that when I went over a bump, the audio would cut out for a split second. Probably the USB connection is loose or maybe the HD in the iPod doesn't like the bumps, have to figure that out.

The S/XM tuner doesn't have a HD and uses the 'cigarette lighter' outlet for power, so it should be OK on bumps - haven't tested it on a bumpy road yet. Fingers crossed!

 

[Maquis]

Just remember, if you are running the wire a long distance, you may want to use heavier wire, that is, over 100 feet. The issue is the voltage drop due to the wire resistance.

NEC recommends (not requires) no more than a 5% total voltage drop across feeders and branch circuits for optimal equipment performance.

"...If the NEC doesn't require you to size for voltage drop, why even think about it? Consider these reasons:

• System efficiency — If a circuit supports much of a load, a larger conductor will pay for itself many times over in energy savings alone.
• System performance — Lighting loads perform best when voltage drop is minimal. You get the light of a higher-wattage system simply by running larger wires.
• Troubleshooting — If you follow the NEC voltage drop recommendations, you don't have to guess whether your field measurements indicate a problem or if the voltage is low due to not accommodating voltage drop in the design.
• Load protection — Undervoltage for inductive loads can cause overheating, inefficiency, and a shorter life span of the equipment. When conductor resistance causes the voltage to drop below an acceptable point, increase the conductor size...."

Think about it this way: the larger the voltage drop, the lower the charge rate into your truck from the maximum the EVSE can provide.

Instead of delivering 240V to your load (the EVSE), because of the resistance of the wire between the panel and the load, you will deliver 240V-voltage drop due to the wire assuming the 5% drop.

So a 5% voltage drop means 240v x 95% = 228V provided to the FCSP.

Ignoring the power losses in the charging equipment, that mean instead of 240V x 80A = 19.2kW
you will only deliver 228V x 80A = 18.24kW to the Lightning with a 5% voltage drop.

It will take a bit longer to charge the battery. Maybe that's not a big deal depending on your situation and not worth the additional cost of larger wire.

But you may run into local codes that make the wire size recommendation of the NEC a mandate. Best to look into that before installation. A professional electrician would if they do it right.

Besides distance, there are other factors that determine what wire size to use, both for optimum efficiency and safety, such as how many conductors in the conduit, the maximum ambient temperature, the material (copper or aluminum).

Consult a professional.

All true, but at 100 feet, it’s not a problem. #3 copper at 80 amps would be about 1.5%, #1 aluminum just a bit more. Electricians I know don’t bother with a calculation unless the run is over 200 feet.

 

[chl]

All true, but at 100 feet, it’s not a problem. #3 copper at 80 amps would be about 1.5%, #1 aluminum just a bit more. Electricians I know don’t bother with a calculation unless the run is over 200 feet.

Yes, not a "problem" just less efficient, that is, more 'juice' is wasted in heat from the wire resistance.

Current squared time resistance of the wire is wasted power.

Over time, it adds up to real $$, and depending on your utility rate, it could be significant.

For some sensitive electronic equipment and/or inductive loads (motors, compressors, etc.), that voltage drop is an issue.

But I don't think the FCSP cares about a 5% voltage drop.

It just won't charge your Truck as fast.

Just mentioned it for the sake of completeness.

My plan would be to put a 100A sub-panel in the garage or thereabouts with heavy wire (#2 copper) then use the #3 for the short run to the FCSP. My distance is a bit over 100 feet panel to garage.

Speaking of efficiency, according to my Lightning, on my most recent short trip to the store, about 7 miles round trip I got 2.4m/kWh.
Cruise control, low speeds (not over 35mph), and regenerative non-aggressive braking, ambient temps 50F-60F, no heat on.
Not as good as my Leaf which always gets in the 4-5m/kWh range for local trips, but not bad.
It would give me a range of 235 miles if I went from 100% to 0% battery (SR battery 98kWh x 2.4).
Using 20%-80%, 141miles range.
That's over twice the range on my Leaf with a 24kWh battery.

 

[Maquis]

Yes, not a "problem" just less efficient, that is, more 'juice' is wasted in heat from the wire resistance.

Current squared time resistance of the wire is wasted power.

Over time, it adds up to real $$, and depending on your utility rate, it could be significant.

For some sensitive electronic equipment and/or inductive loads (motors, compressors, etc.), that voltage drop is an issue.

But I don't think the FCSP cares about a 5% voltage drop.

It just won't charge your Truck as fast.

Just mentioned it for the sake of completeness.

My plan would be to put a 100A sub-panel in the garage or thereabouts with heavy wire (#2 copper) then use the #3 for the short run to the FCSP. My distance is a bit over 100 feet panel to garage.

Speaking of efficiency, according to my Lightning, on my most recent short trip to the store, about 7 miles round trip I got 2.4m/kWh.
Cruise control, low speeds (not over 35mph), and regenerative non-aggressive braking, ambient temps 50F-60F, no heat on.
Not as good as my Leaf which always gets in the 4-5m/kWh range for local trips, but not bad.
It would give me a range of 235 miles if I went from 100% to 0% battery (SR battery 98kWh x 2.4).
Using 20%-80%, 141miles range.
That's over twice the range on my Leaf with a 24kWh battery.

At current copper wire prices and a rate of $0.10 per kWh, the breakeven point for upsizing from 3 to 2 AWG is 1400 hours at a full 80A charge rate.
Setting the charge rate to 64A will result about the same losses without paying for the more expensive wire.

 

[chl]

At current copper wire prices and a rate of $0.10 per kWh, the breakeven point for upsizing from 3 to 2 AWG is 1400 hours at a full 80A charge rate.
Setting the charge rate to 64A will result about the same losses without paying for the more expensive wire.

A couple basics and nuances:

A charge "rate" is power which is expressed in kW's not Amps.

Power in Watts is calculated by Voltage in volts x Current in amperes.
More voltage for the same current means more power.

So a voltage drop reduces the power provided, i.e., the charge rate.
Smaller diameter wire means a larger voltage drop which means less power.

A kWh is a measure of energy, that is power in kilowatts x time in hours.

So the rate (kW) at which energy (kWh) is put into your battery is dependent on the power (kW) provided to the truck charger via the EVSE (FCSP), and in turn, the power (kW) depends on the voltage and current supplied to the EVSE.

With no voltage drop 64A will take longer to reach the desired battery charge: a rate of 64A x 240V= 15.36kW versus an 80A x 240V = 19.2kW rate (ideal conditions, 0 feet wire length).

One has to factor in the different voltage drops of the different wire sizes as well to do the calculation of how much power is lost. There are on-line calculators that can do the calculations.

The larger wire will have a lower voltage drop, although not zero, which means more power can be delivered than with the smaller wire, which means a shorter charge time and less losses (wasted $) due to resistance.

You will waste more kWh's and $$ with the smaller wire over time.
Bad for the pocket book and the environment to waste energy.

The ER battery is spec'ed at 131kWh.

At an ideal max 19.2kW charge rate, that's almost 7 hours for 0-100% charge.
Using 20-80% (78.6kWh) and that's just over 4hrs ideally.
If you factor in the voltage drop for the wire, the losses inside the truck, etc., charging in reality takes longer than the ideal. The only thing we can change is the wire size and those losses.

But using the ideal situation and your payback number, 1400 hours means 350 x 4 hr charges.

If you use your truck every day of the week, and use 78.6kWh each day, that's less than a 1 year payback assuming your numbers.

So if you're only going to have your truck less than a year (350 days) use smaller wire and save a few bucks up front. If your going to keep it longer, use thicker wire.

The next question is how many miles driving is that 78.6kWh?

One has to know how many miles does the Lightning get per 1 kWh on average?
Maybe you need to charge to 100% because of range requirements?

That would mean even less time for the payback of larger wire.

Anyway, here are some examples of the power savings and payback times:
https://www.copper.org/environment/...y-efficiency/education/archive/onesizeup.html

Also, if time is money, then quantify the additional time to charge with smaller wire and add that to the savings for larger wire.

Like a leaky faucet, over time it can add up drop by drop.

---CORRECTION---

I don't think 1400 hours is correct. I did some calculations of the difference in the voltage drops and the respective power delivered by 2AWG vs 3AWG wire, and while there is a difference it is only around 58Watts. (for 100 feet distance, 2 conductors, 80A)

Assuming the 131kWh battery and using the 20% to 80% charge strategy, the difference in cost at $0.11 per kWh (the average rate where I live) the difference is only about $10/year, assuming 1 charge per day 20-80% (365 charges per year) about 4.2 hours long.

If you charged to a higher % from a lower % the charge time would be longer.

I don't know what the difference is cost per 100 feet of 2AWG vs 3AWG is, so I haven't calculated the payback time. But it would probably be a lot more than the 1400 hours Maquis posited.

3 AWG wire seems to be around $1.66/foot, and 2 AWG $1.93/foot. Since there are 2 conductors needed that's 200 feet and about $54 dollars difference in cost.

Assuming the $10 year difference due to lost power between 2AWG and 3AGW wire, it would take around 5 years of once-a-day 20-80% charging (4.2 hours per day) to break even.

5 years x 365 days x 4.2 hour charges = 7,665 hours to break even.
Or 5 x 365 = 1825 charge cycles of 4.2 hours each.

If your utility rates are high, such as in CA and TX, then maybe the break even time could approach the 1400hours? Then it would definitely be worth it money wise.

 

[mefly2]

Whoever sold that for $600, less fees, was pretty desperate. I got $1,000. You got a good deal.

Wish I could get that $$ for my FCSP ...

 

[RickLightning]

Wish I could get that $$ for my FCSP ...

Yeah, I lucked out. I listed it on Craigslist and Facebook. Got several inquiries offering less, but I held out. Buyer was using it in a photoshoot, sent it to California, then they shipped it back for him to install at his business.

But people need to be patient. The right buyer comes along. I sold my ten year old F-150 for $25k, people were offering me $19k. Buyer said "it's perfect, no rust, and matches my Dad's."

 

[chl]

---CORRECTION---

I don't think 1400 hours is correct. I did some calculations ...

MY calculations for the above correction:

VOLTAGE DROPS and POWER DELIVERED:
100ft 3AWG wire 240V 80A PVC conduit voltage drop 4V = 236.0V end voltage
-- 236V x 80A = 18.9kW
131kWh/18.9kW=6.93hr charge 0-100%;
78.6kWh/18.9kW=4.159hrs 20-80%

100ft 2AWG wire 240V 80A PVC conduit voltage drop 3.02V = 236.98V end voltage
-- 236.98 x 80A = 18.958kW
131kWh/18.958kW=6.91hr charge 0-100%;
78.6/18.958kW=4.146hrs 20-80%

POWER DIFFERENCE (LOSS):
18.958kW - 18.9kW = .058kW power difference between 2AWG and 3AWG
.058kW x 7hrs = .406kWh energy loss over 7 hours=1 charge 0-100%
.058kW x 4.2hrs=.244kWh energy loss over 4.2 hours=1 charge 20-80%

MONEY:
$.11/kWh x .406kWh = $.05 per 7 hour charge x 365 = $18.25 / year
$.11/kWh x .244kWh = $.03 per 4.2 hour charge x 365 days = $9.80 / year

TIME:
6.93-6.91=.02hrs longer -- x 365 days = 7.3 hours/year longer
4.159-4.146=.013hrs longer --x 365 days = 4.745 hours/year longer

 

[chl]

Some basics about electricity, wires, etc.

1 Ampere = 1 coulomb of electric charge moving past a point in 1 second, the unit of electrical current

1 Watt = 1 joule per second (rate of energy transfer) -- A kilowatt (1000 Watts) is a unit of power (rate of flow of energy --Joules-- per unit of time).

1 joule = The work required to move an electric charge of one coulomb through an electrical potential difference of one volt, or one coulomb-volt (C*V): a Joule is a unit of energy

1 joule = The work (energy) required to produce one watt of power for one second, or one watt-second.

1 kWh = 3.6 megajoules (energy delivered by one kilowatt of power for one hour) -- A kilowatt hour is a unit of energy, the product of power and time.

1 volt = the electric potential between two points of a conducting wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those points
--the potential difference between two points that will impart one joule of energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it
--the volt is a force, the electromotive force.

1 ohm = the electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of one volt (V) applied to these points produces a current of one ampere (A)

EVSE = electric vehicle supply equipment, a device that supplies electrical power for recharging plug-in electric vehicles:

AC Level 1: Connects directly to a standard 120 V North American outlet;
capable of supplying 6–16 A (0.7–1.92 kilowatts or "kW") depending on the
capacity of a dedicated circuit.

AC Level 2: Utilizes 240 V (single phase) or 208 V (three phase) power to
supply between 6 and 80 A (1.4–19.2 kW). It provides a significant charging
speed increase over AC Level 1 charging.

DC Level 1: Supplies a maximum of 80 kW at 50–1000 V.

DC Level 2: Supplies a maximum of 400 kW at 50–1000 V.

Charge time can be calculated as: Battery capacity (kWh) / Charging power (kW)

Charge controller/charge regulator/battery regulator: limits the rate at
which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries to
protect against electrical overload, overcharging, and may protect against
overvoltage.

SAE J1772 plug: also known as a J plug or Type 1 connector is designed for single phase alternating current electrical systems with 120 VAC or 240 VAC

Combined Charging System combo 1 (CCS1) connector: builds on the J1772 standard adding two additional pins for DC fast charging up to 350 kW

EVSE Signaling protocol: designed for the following charging sequence:
1) supply equipment signals presence of AC input power
2) vehicle detects plug via proximity circuit (thus the vehicle can prevent driving away while connected) and can detect when latch is pressed in preparation for plug removal.
3) Control Pilot (CP) functions begin
3a) supply equipment detects plug-in electric vehicle (PEV)
3b) supply equipment indicates to PEV readiness to supply current
3c) PEV ventilation requirements are determined
3d) supply equipment current capacity provided to PEV
4) PEV commands energy flow
5) PEV and supply equipment continuously monitor continuity of safety ground
6) charge continues as determined by PEV
7) charge may be interrupted by disconnecting the plug from the vehicle

AWG: American wire gauge -- a logarithmic stepped standardized wire gauge system for the diameters of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire -- the cross-sectional area of each gauge is an important factor for determining its current-carrying capacity

No. 36 AWG is 0.005 inches in diameter, and No. 0000 is 0.46 inches in diameter -- The ratio of these diameters is 1:92, and there are 40 gauge sizes from No. 36 to No. 0000, or 39 steps.

AWG rules of thumb:

When the cross-sectional area of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 3 (E.g. two No. 14 AWG wires have about the same cross-sectional area as a single No. 11 AWG wire.) This doubles the conductance.
When the diameter of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 6. (E.g. No. 2 AWG is about twice the diameter of No. 8 AWG.) This quadruples the cross-sectional area and the conductance.
A decrease of ten gauge numbers, for example from No. 12 to No. 2, multiplies the area and weight by approximately 10, and reduces the electrical resistance (and increases the conductance) by a factor of approximately 10.
For the same cross section, aluminum wire has a conductivity of approximately 61% of copper, so an aluminum wire has nearly the same resistance as a copper wire smaller by 2 AWG sizes, which has 62.9% of the area.

 

[Fast911]

I’m

Yes, not a "problem" just less efficient, that is, more 'juice' is wasted in heat from the wire resistance.

Current squared time resistance of the wire is wasted
Over time, it adds up to real $$, and depending on your utility rate, it could be significant.

For some sensitive electronic equipment and/or inductive loads (motors, compressors, etc.), that voltage drop is an issue.

But I don't think the FCSP cares about a 5% voltage drop.

It just won't charge your Truck as fast.

Just mentioned it for the sake of completeness.

My plan would be to put a 100A sub-panel in the garage or thereabouts with heavy wire (#2 copper) then use the #3 for the short run to the FCSP. My distance is a bit over 100 feet panel to garage.

Speaking of efficiency, according to my Lightning, on my most recent short trip to the store, about 7 miles round trip I got 2.4m/kWh.
Cruise control, low speeds (not over 35mph), and regenerative non-aggressive braking, ambient temps 50F-60F, no heat on.
Not as good as my Leaf which always gets in the 4-5m/kWh
range for local trips, but not bad.
It would give me a range of 235 miles if I went from 100% to 0% battery (SR battery 98kWh x 2.4).
Using 20%-80%, 141miles range.
That's over twice the range on my Leaf with a 24kWh battery.

No need to switch from #2 wire to #3 wire. The fcsp will accommodate the #2 wire.

 

[Maquis]

Some basics about electricity, wires, etc.

1 Ampere = 1 coulomb of electric charge moving past a point in 1 second, the unit of electrical current

1 Watt = 1 joule per second (rate of energy transfer) -- A kilowatt (1000 Watts) is a unit of power (rate of flow of energy --Joules-- per unit of time).

1 joule = The work required to move an electric charge of one coulomb through an electrical potential difference of one volt, or one coulomb-volt (C*V): a Joule is a unit of energy

1 joule = The work (energy) required to produce one watt of power for one second, or one watt-second.

1 kWh = 3.6 megajoules (energy delivered by one kilowatt of power for one hour) -- A kilowatt hour is a unit of energy, the product of power and time.

1 volt = the electric potential between two points of a conducting wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those points
--the potential difference between two points that will impart one joule of energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it
--the volt is a force, the electromotive force.

1 ohm = the electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of one volt (V) applied to these points produces a current of one ampere (A)

EVSE = electric vehicle supply equipment, a device that supplies electrical power for recharging plug-in electric vehicles:

AC Level 1: Connects directly to a standard 120 V North American outlet;
capable of supplying 6–16 A (0.7–1.92 kilowatts or "kW") depending on the
capacity of a dedicated circuit.

AC Level 2: Utilizes 240 V (single phase) or 208 V (three phase) power to
supply between 6 and 80 A (1.4–19.2 kW). It provides a significant charging
speed increase over AC Level 1 charging.

DC Level 1: Supplies a maximum of 80 kW at 50–1000 V.

DC Level 2: Supplies a maximum of 400 kW at 50–1000 V.

Charge time can be calculated as: Battery capacity (kWh) / Charging power (kW)

Charge controller/charge regulator/battery regulator: limits the rate at
which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries to
protect against electrical overload, overcharging, and may protect against
overvoltage.

SAE J1772 plug: also known as a J plug or Type 1 connector is designed for single phase alternating current electrical systems with 120 VAC or 240 VAC

Combined Charging System combo 1 (CCS1) connector: builds on the J1772 standard adding two additional pins for DC fast charging up to 350 kW

EVSE Signaling protocol: designed for the following charging sequence:
1) supply equipment signals presence of AC input power
2) vehicle detects plug via proximity circuit (thus the vehicle can prevent driving away while connected) and can detect when latch is pressed in preparation for plug removal.
3) Control Pilot (CP) functions begin
3a) supply equipment detects plug-in electric vehicle (PEV)
3b) supply equipment indicates to PEV readiness to supply current
3c) PEV ventilation requirements are determined
3d) supply equipment current capacity provided to PEV
4) PEV commands energy flow
5) PEV and supply equipment continuously monitor continuity of safety ground
6) charge continues as determined by PEV
7) charge may be interrupted by disconnecting the plug from the vehicle

AWG: American wire gauge -- a logarithmic stepped standardized wire gauge system for the diameters of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire -- the cross-sectional area of each gauge is an important factor for determining its current-carrying capacity

No. 36 AWG is 0.005 inches in diameter, and No. 0000 is 0.46 inches in diameter -- The ratio of these diameters is 1:92, and there are 40 gauge sizes from No. 36 to No. 0000, or 39 steps.

AWG rules of thumb:

When the cross-sectional area of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 3 (E.g. two No. 14 AWG wires have about the same cross-sectional area as a single No. 11 AWG wire.) This doubles the conductance.
When the diameter of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 6. (E.g. No. 2 AWG is about twice the diameter of No. 8 AWG.) This quadruples the cross-sectional area and the conductance.
A decrease of ten gauge numbers, for example from No. 12 to No. 2, multiplies the area and weight by approximately 10, and reduces the electrical resistance (and increases the conductance) by a factor of approximately 10.
For the same cross section, aluminum wire has a conductivity of approximately 61% of copper, so an aluminum wire has nearly the same resistance as a copper wire smaller by 2 AWG sizes, which has 62.9% of the area.

Holy *&#$$

 

[THX1138]

The “Pro” charger has different lugs capable of accepting #2. The FCSP is only rated for #3 max. You can transition to #3 in a j-box or disconnect near the EVSE.

I ran #1 aluminum 90’ to my disconnect, then a foot or so of #3 copper to the FCSP. Saved me over $200 in wire cost.

Hi, my FCSP finally arrived.

Do you have a disconnect switch in the picture? If so, what make and model?